2017 IndyStar Wine & Food Experience sights and sounds. What did you miss?

Tickets to the September festival featuring some 30 Indianapolis restaurants are on sale

Celebrity chef Scott Conant, popularly known for his role as judge and host of Food Network's "Chopped," will be the featured chef at the 2018 IndyStar Wine & Food Experience Sept. 29 at Clay Terrace in Carmel.(Photo: Nick Garcia/Submitted)

IndyStar Wine & Food Experience headliner chef Scott Conant has won a James Beard Award, a bunch of stars from the New York Times, a ton of accolades from major magazines and thousands of fans who love his wit on Food Network's "Chopped," but when it comes to guilty pleasures, Conant sounds down-home Indiana.

His favorite late-night snack is popcorn. He's also gaga for peanut butter, which Hoosiers like on burgers. I can't wait to ask Conant for a recipe combining his favorite eats while he's at the IndyStar Wine & Food Experience Sept. 29 at Clay Terrace in Carmel.

Tickets to the delicious extravaganza are on sale, and Conant is not the only chef you'll meet. Get up close and personal with top Indianapolis cooks while sipping fine wines and craft beers. Some 30 restaurants attending include newbies Oca, from the owners of Smoking Goose Meatery, and Bridges Craft Pizza & Wine Bar, which is winning accolades far from its base in Greencastle.

Meet Conant at a VIP get-together. Learn his kitchen secrets at a cooking class open to everyone. Have questions ready for this master of Italian food. Former Gourmet magazine editor Ruth Reichl named Conant's former L’Impero one of her favorite New York restaurants. Conant, who also hosts Food Network's "Best Baker in America," is also a pastry genius.

Advance tickets to the 1 to 4 p.m. Food & Wine Experience cost $85. A $120 VIP ticket gets you inside at noon, premium wine and food tastings in the VIP lounge and access to VIP restrooms. The $180 chefs package includes the VIP treatment plus a private meet-and-greet with Conant. Find ticket information at wineandfood.indystar.com.